Cetane numbers of branched and straight-chain fatty esters determined in an ignition quality tester

Diethyl Ether (DEE) as a Renewable Diesel Fuel

/pdf/compendium-of-experimental-cetane-numbers-52twgik20j.pdf

Compendium of Experimental Cetane Numbers

The present invention is in the field of plant genetics and provides recombinant nucleic acid molecules, constructs, and other agents associated with the coordinate manipulation of multiple genes in the fatty acid synthesis pathway. In particular, the agents of the present invention are associated with the simultaneous enhanced expression of certain genes in the fatty acid synthesis pathway and suppressed expression of certain other genes in the same pathway. Also provided are plants incorporating such agents, and in particular plants incorporating such constructs where the plants exhibit altered seed oil compositions.

Nucleic acid constructs and methods for producing altered seed oil compositions

Researchers at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) have been working for the past several years on the fundamental and practical aspects of homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) operation of reciprocating engines. Much of the work has focused on the use of diesel fuel. The work at SwRI has, however, demonstrated that there are fundamental limitations on the use of current diesel fuels in HCCI engines. The results of engine and constant volume combustion bomb experiments are presented and discussed. The engine experiments were used to identify important fuel properties that must be included in a fuel specification for HCCI fuels. The primary properties relate -to the distillation characteristics and the ignition characteristics. The engine test provided preliminary guidance on the distillation requirements and an indication of the important ignition requirements. The constant volume combustion bomb experiments were performed in an effort to define a new fuel property that will serve to characterize the ignition property of a fuel in an HCCI engine.

/pdf/fuel-requirements-for-hcci-engine-operation-tu8gxhy0c3.pdf

Fuel Requirements for HCCI Engine Operation

The ignition delay times of forty-two different fuels were measured in a constant volume combustion bomb. The measurements were performed at three different initial air temperatures using fuels ranging from the primary reference fuels for cetane rating to complex mixtures of coal-derived liquids. The ignition delay times were examined in terms of the classical definitions of the physical and chemical delay times. The previously used definitions were found to be inadequate, and new definitions have been proposed. The total ignition delay times were studied in the context of providing a means for rating the ignition quality of the fuels. Fuel ignition quality rating schemes are discussed, including one based on the current cetane number scale as well as one based on a new scale which includes a measure of the sensitivity of the various fuels to the air temperature.

Blake Stapper

Papers

Diesel Fuel Ignition Quality as Determined in a Constant Volume Combustion Bomb